The best person is now on the case: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/amelia-earhart-disappearance-may-finally-solved-1623889
TIGHAR has been searching for a while but they don't have the money, resources or experience of Ballard. I hope he finds the plane.
I wish I could link the entire New York Times article from yesterday. (I get it delivered every morning so I read it yesterday). It describes how deep the drop off is and the rugged topography on bottom. If he had not seen the report for the classified enhancement of the picture I posted, Ballard would not be searching because the search area is too great. National intelligence sources identified the object as consistent with a model 10 Lockheed Electra’s landing gear. Look for the upside down gear sticking out of the water on the left of picture above.
At the end of the article it says the results of the search will be aired on Oct. 20th. Ballard apparently has some good intel in his back pocket for the show to be aired that soon.
Ballard did a similar TV airing with his discovery of ancient Black Sea ships. I suspect this helps to fund his search.
Theres barely enough beach for a crash landing. ws https://www.google.com/maps/place/N...d9ed73197d6a2!8m2!3d-4.6779191!4d-174.5195974
With that tide there appears to be plenty of beach. Lots of private airports are not that wide when viewed from altitude. One big risk is the landing gear tripping the plane on landing. There is the same risk for landing on the reef or in shallow water. The plane could end upside down with the landing gear extended which is consistent with what is shown. Pilots would call this an unsuccessful off airport landing.
That part of the Pacific sea floor being littered with thousands of airplane wrecks of that era is not going to help.
This map shows the position of KNOWN shipwrecks from WWII alone (as of 2004). Not including WWI and other battles. The number of known WWII sites is approximately 7900. A ship is going to be easier to find that a Lockheed Electra. Now the concern is decaying ships ready to bust loose with 20 BILLION gallons of petroleum stuff. We are all doomed...ws http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43858172/...hipwrecks-pose-oil-spill-threat/#.XVW1O-hKiUk
Cool map Bill. I would not have expected so many shipwrecks along the South American coastline. Must have had something to do with Venezuelan oil.
That and U-Boats. Even the Cape of Good Hope and the Ivory Coast were shipping pinch points making for easy prey... Look at the Gulf of Mexico , Florida and Cape Hatteras NC as well. ws
Ballard knows position of the then uninhabited island and the last known position of the landing gear for Lockheed Electra on the perimeter of the island. Presumably it was still attached to the airplane or it would not be sticking up like shown in the old picture. Otherwise, he likely would not engaging in this search. Ballard departed on August 7. He must be there by now.
Ballard will actually be searching a small area just around Nikumaroro Island. Very few planes, if any, should be in this area.
The ocean floor oozes far more petroleum every day into the ocean than all of mankind's spills put together. There is microscopic life that loves the stuff.